Human Trafficking is a criminal offence in Canada,

and is defined as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of threat, force or coercion, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation includes prostitution, other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery, and forms of servitude.

Global• Sexual exploitation and forced labour are the most prominent forms of trafficking, but can also include forced marriage, child soldiers, organ removal, and other forms• An estimated 40 million people are currently trapped in forms of slavery and exploitation• 50% of human trafficking victims are women, 30% are children• 96% of victims trafficked for sexual exploitation are women or girls, with over 2 million children sexually exploited• Cybersex trafficking is on the rise as the internet becomes increasingly globally accessible• 158 countries have legislation criminalizing trafficking, up from 33 countries in 2003 However, conviction rates are still low• 57% of victims are trafficked across at least one international border• Trafficking generates over $150 billion in annual revenue, up from $30 billion in 2015

Canada• Canada criminalized human trafficking in 2005, with amendments in 2008.• According to police-reported data, there were a total of 865 victims of human trafficking between 2009 and 2016.The vast majority (95%) of these victims were women• Most (72%) victims of human trafficking were under 25 years of age. Females under the age of 25 years represented 70% of all victims of police- reported human trafficking (26% were less than 18 years old, and 44% were between 18 and24 years).• Males were accused in more than four in five (81%) incidents of human trafficking reported by police between 2009 and 2016